Before Mirkwood
by PineFlowerSap
Summary: A human OC carrying knowledge and practice of an ancient religion travels across Middle Earth to scavenge for her livelihood. The newly made King of the Greenwood goes on a journey to visit his kin before being summoned to an inevitable war alongside Gil-galad, but his reckless son, Thranduil, has left to go on another adventure where he encounters some orcs and an unlikely friend.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello, PineFlowerSap here, I've been thinking of writing an LOTR story for a while now and while I've got several ideas I decided I'd better start acting on them. So here we go:_

 _This story is about an OC who is indeed a human female. She doesn't particularly like elves and this is funny because I am writing her with the intention of her being Legolas's mother. His mother isn't talked about at all in the canon so while picking a human is a bit of a stretch (as Legolas would probably be confronted with a choice of becoming an immortal or mortal that we don't actually hear about happening, or the elves would have put such a thing into memory as it is such a rare thing and they didn't)-this is fanfiction. Besides, as Tolkien never talks about her and Thranduil never talks about her it could have been because she was human, a stretch but a plausible one. Him keeping this a secret could account for many things of which I shall write. So, without much further ado, we will now get into the story of the human who I am intending will steal the Elf King's heart..._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR or the Hobbit, but if I did my name would be stuff of legends._

* * *

I traced the tiny, elaborate tree hanging from its chain, the silver glittered in the sunlight. It must have been elvish-made, that fact given away not just in its intricacy but also as it still glittered in the open, weathered market.

I looked around me, Gondolin must have once been truly beautiful, for in ruin it was still beautiful. It's pillars were cracked and from the paved marble streets there sprang ivy and thickets, the old fountains lay dormant, wetted only by rain that collected in their large stone basins drawing in flies and beetles to the stagnant water.

I pocketed the necklace and stood up, there could be more treasures up here but night was fast approaching and I needed to make it back to camp. Gondolin was no longer a hidden city, and not many ventured into it anymore…but I didn't want to risk facing those who did. Especially not at night. Plunderers were one thing, but running across orcs or goblins-or even an elf who caught me picking through his old family's stuff- was not something I relished.

Hoisting myself over fallen pillars and climbing down several flights of stone stairs I kept to the cool shadows of the white walls and tried to step around all the metal debris lining the streets. Ivy covered most of it but I had gotten an iron tipped arrowhead stuck in my boot earlier in the morning.

Whatever battle ended this city must have been intense as scorch marks still scared the buildings lining the widest streets.

I hurried down a stretch of moss to the broken gate where a dark tunnel curved into the earth. I peered inside the dark hollow tunnel, wishing I had brought another torch. I sighed, reached deep into the folds of my coat, and drew out the vial. I held it up, the glass vial held half the water it used to. I'd have to get it re-filled. I didn't like pulling it out like this, worried that the vial might break the more I took it out by a misplaced step or something like that. Venturing forward into the darkness my eyes had little time to adjust before the vial began to glow. In a few moments it shone like a star in the vast tunnel, illuminating the way in a cold, piercing light. Hurrying down the tunnel I soon emerged at the opening, covered by hanging moss and another broken gate.

I pocketed the vial quickly, hopping down onto the long grass. The valley beneath the plateau of the City was covered in shadow, the surrounding mountains looking down coolly from their lofty perches. It was a pleasing enough looking spot but I don't think I'd want to live in a city with a mountain view 360 degrees around. It was like a cage.

Not a good reference for the small human scurrying to get out of the open in the bottom of the valley below.

I clambered over fallen logs hidden in tall grass and watched as the light hitting the tips of the mountain tops on one side of the valley fade. As the sky above turned a very deep blue and the valley was cast in shadow I made it to the wall of the mountain and felt my way around until I found the rope hanging beside a large crevice. Grabbing it firmly I hoisted myself up the rock face, my boots walking on the wall as I pulled with my arms. In twenty strenuous strides I felt the ledge above me and hoisted myself up onto it.

My bedroll and some cooking gear greeted me as the first stars started to shine out. I took off my pack and set it by the bedroll. Having done the cooking in the morning I felt for the small covered pot and opened it up with relief, nothing had gotten into it. I guess it shouldn't have been surprise, what would want to get into it? The mashed vegetable stew was cold but filling, I had seen a few squirrels on the other side of the mountains, maybe tomorrow I could catch a few and have some meat for a change. Nothing but birds lived in this valley and they spooked easily.

Hunting wasn't good here.

Dipping my fingers into the pot I drew out the last of the mashed vegetable paste and waited for the moon to peak over the valley, which it soon did. Gondolin, with its scorched white walls and stone houses covered in growth, still shone in the light of the moon like a pale jewel. It must really have been something in its day.

Taking my bag I rummaged through it, setting my scavenged items out in the moonlight to look them over. There were a few bottles without stoppers in fine, intricate glass work that would be able to hold plenty of water if I rammed a stick down their neck to prevent leakage. There were some tarnished silver arrow tips and a small blade, perfect for fitting in my boot that I had found in the plaza. The tree necklace which would probably fetch me a decent price lay silently on the rock ledge, shimmering in the moonlight.

It really was pretty, the tiny branches stretched out but was still no larger than my pinky nail.

Then there were a couple bowls made of a very light, smooth substance that felt a bit like horn but I was pretty sure wasn't horn. More like a polished. light wood than anything else. Though I couldn't think of what sort of wood it could possibly be.

Finally, there were several golden clasps and brooches I had found tangled in the ivy by the majority of decaying metal weaponry. They were mostly just twisted bits of metal, but one had a sun shape on it only the sun was more…showy, like a flower. I could sell these as well.

Everything else was either too big or too hidden under years of growth for me to get to while it was daylight, the tunnel having taken me quite a while to find to get up into the city left me little time for true rummaging. It was fine, I had enough from my several days here to move on. I stuffed everything back into my bag and snuggled into my bedroll as a cool breeze wafted around me, bringing up the scent of the long grass. The mountains cast ominous black shadows around and looking up at the round circle of sky above me I drifted off to sleep, feeling smaller and smaller as the stars came out.

I woke several times that night, a couple times from the cold, once from a wolf howl and then something else woke me, some strange noise off in the distance that I couldn't quite place as it woke me from a dream.

I dreamt a dragon was chasing me through the city of Gondolin, it's streets lined with empty suits of armor. The dragon spit fire all around, and then it turned into a giant goblin and started thundering after me. It tripped on a suit of armor and fell headfirst into the flames, then came out screaming, half on fire and part dragon and goblin at the same time. I quietly crept behind a building to get away as it started to eat the suits of armor, but then the building I was hiding behind came crashing down and I woke. Perhaps it was thunder, perhaps drums or rocks falling, but then it was silent and I drifted back off to sleep.

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 _*Note: If anyone likes this story and wants to contribute, I still haven't picked a name for my OC yet, so if you have any ideas I'd love to hear them. Until I get a fitting name she'll have to go without, so please respond in the reviews what name you'd like to give her!_

 _**Second Note: Places and travel times are probably inaccurate, if you are a hardcore LOTR fan and know these sorts of things please feel free to message me or leave your correction in the reviews. I try to stick with places around about where they should be but I've never actually walked or calculated distances before in Middle Earth so some things may be off and I'd appreciate your information._


	2. Chapter 2

Morning came bright and early, the mountains and valley within were not yet lit with the sun but the sky above me was lighting and having given up on sleep I said my prayers quickly, packed my things, then grabbed my walking stick.

I stooped to the side of the ledge and rolled my coil of rope up around the walking stick, forming a thick grip over the top of it. Rope was always useful, particularly in the mountains.

Steeling myself with a huff I faced the mountain, why was going down always so much easier than going up? How in the world did the elves manage to set up a city here, didn't they need people to come in and out? Trust an elf to hide even the most basic of pathways, deer trails were Greenways compared to an elf trail.

Elves were just odd all around.

Hiking back up the mountain I made good use of my walking stick and had to throw my rope up a few times to hook on a jutting rock to climb, but as soon as the sun was shining down overhead on the valley I made it to the fissure that split the dark walls of the mountain in a narrow passage. The same that I had used to get into the valley without having to go up over the mountain tops.

Walking, stick ahead, I slunk into the dark fissure and squeezed around tight corners, hopped over fallen rocks and shimmied under jutting walls until sweating and gulping in stale air I began wondering if Gondolin city had been worth it.

Finally, I emerged in the shadow of the mountain on the outside. A waft of fresh air hit my face and I breathed easy, seeing the green expanse of openness below. Out in the distance a thin silver stream twinkled like a coiling snake. The Brethil forest lay just beyond. A large empty expanse stretched out and I started my climb down the mountain face, I couldn't be out in the open by night and I had already lost a lot of time in the fissure.

If I had any hope of reaching the forest by night I had to start running…now.

At least it was all downhill from here. Walking stick ahead of me, I took a step forward, hearing the crunch of loose pebbles beneath my boot.

* * *

 _*To all my readers, please be sure to review in with a suggestion on a name for her, I'd like as much input as I can get!_


	3. Chapter 3

"My lord Oropher," A slender, red haired messenger bounded up the stairs, "My lord Gil-Galad requested that I deliver this to you immediately."

An elf, tall and broad shouldered looked over curiously, raising a dark eyebrow. He took the scroll bound in golden thread and opened it reading carefully with a slightly furrowed brow. After a moment he lowered the scroll and closed his eyes, thinking. Suddenly he opened his pale eyes, turned to the nearest attendant and said, "It appears we are needed elsewhere, our journey to visit our Kin in the grey havens must wait. We will have to leave immediately."

Oropher, his silver crown glistening on silver hair looked around, a frown forming, "Where is my son?"

"My lord," An attendant approached, her delicate frame as erect and strong as the men elves around her, "my prince Thranduil is out."

"Out?" Oropher placed the scroll into the folds of his grey robes, "Out where?"

"I believe he wanted to visit the fallen city of your kin, Doriath, my lord." She replied with a bow of her head.

"Of all the times for him to go off on his own again…send out a patrol to escort him back to the Greenwood, I will deal with him there. This cannot wait, we shall continue without him, begin the preparations."

"Yes, m'lord."

* * *

Thranduil smiled up at the waving trees overhead, the forest of Brethil was large and old. The trees silently whispered the same sorts of whispers from the days of Doriath, the whispers his ancestors listened to. But there was also a taint to the forest, a bitterness that reached to the roots. There could very well be orcs prowling this wood, and Thranduil's blades would not mind meeting them.

His silver and grey clothes he had left back at his father's camp, donning the camouflage of dark green cloth and a cloak. His sliver sword hung at his side on a woven leather belt. His pale blond hair waved in the breeze, extending just past his shoulders.

He tread lightly over the earth swift as the deer that he was often compared to, the trees darkening the forest as he moved further in.

Smirking silently to himself he was glad that his light and quick tread was as natural to him as his swordplay was, his father would not appreciate his going off again so the quicker he moved the better it would be.

Suddenly he could smell a new scent and with stealth more silent and secretive than a shadow he crept onwards to see a clearing ahead. He peered cautiously and curiously through the foliage to see a cleared hill rising up from the trees.

Sitting atop was a stone outcropping of torn up buildings and gardens overrun and neglected for so long that various herbs so carefully cultivated now grew unpruned and unyielding in the open hill and seemed to have choked-out growth of new trees. A large dome shaped building stood erect amidst the ruins, only it and a few smaller buildings still stood without caved in roofs and walls, though centuries of neglect had weathered them.

Thranduil raised an eyebrow, his light blue eyes looking over the ruins. This must have been the site of Amon Obel, a city built by the Woodmen of Brethil in the First Age.

Thranduil frowned, the wall this fortified place was so named after seemed to have been made of wood, as now there was nothing protecting the hill. Mortals were sad really, the pitiable condition of this once known city was famed, now it was almost gone.

Still though, adventure might be found here for if buildings stood, an orc might seek one as a refuge? Perhaps some goblins or equally repulsive beast as well? Thranduil looked up at the sky, the falling light would make for a good advantage.

Creeping low, he ran swiftly through the grass and tangles of herbs as a breeze wafted down the hill, bringing with it the faint scent of a fire.

He wasn't the only one here.

* * *

 _*ooh this could get intense! I don't know man, I don't know! I'm still writing! I'm not even sure what's going to happen! It'll probably be super good and written beautifully though._


	4. Chapter 4

_Earlier that day..._

* * *

A few days in the forest had yielded quite a bounty of nuts and squirrels, but sleeping in the trees was starting to get quite a bit hazardous.

I untied the rope from my torso and rolled it up, looking over at my pack hanging on the branch beside it I sighed, grabbed my walking stick and hooked the bag's free strap, pulling it off the branch. Shuffling everything onto my back I hugged the tree and climbed back down.

Dawn was almost over and I had only gotten to sleep a few hours ago, sleeping in trees was not a good way to get any rest. Especially when you leaned to far or dreamt you did and tried to overcorrect.

Hopping down on the ground I yawned, then looked at my marker. I had marked the side of the tree that I had slept in to let me know which way I had to go next. Brethil was easy to get lost in, the trees were getting particularly dark now.

I looked up at the darkened canopy, lit only slightly by the morning light as the cool air twirled old leaves around me.

I began my trek, weaving around the trees and stepping over boulders, boots getting covered in mud as I did. Coming across a stream before entering the forest I had filled my bottles of water and they were still heavy enough to weigh me down considerably, I probably would make it to Amon Obel today though.

My necklace with the tree bounced against my chest as I walked, it was pretty and I was getting fond of it. If I had to sell it I would, but for now it was strangely comforting to have. Maybe because it was a bright little tree amongst all these dark giants, and it made me feel…protected. As if I belonged, but yet didn't.

I've been alone for awhile, maybe these thoughts didn't make sense?

Suddenly I stopped. Everything was silent. Too silent.

When had the birds and squirrels stopped making noise? I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Eyes wide I jumped to the nearest bough and climbed up into the tree as fast as I could pull myself up, boots and fingers scraping against the rough bark.

Man those water bottles were heavy.

After a minute of intense listening as I perched myself on a tall limb, I heard a growing crunching and clattering noise. Pushing myself against the thick trunk I tried to make myself small, listening and watching.

Gruff voices were suddenly speaking, they got louder and clearer as a group of orcs suddenly came into view about fifty feet from me. Four grotesque beings, covered in clattering armor and gnashing pointed teeth they were talking about something in a speech I couldn't understand. Two were very fat, one was about the size of an average man and the other was impossibly skinny and reminded me of a decayed corpse.

They trampled by, not noticing me, occasionally shrieking or growling in threatening ways to one another. One shoved another, who retorted with a series of probably very passionate words and series of gestures with a black dagger.

I trembled as they tromped past, gripping the bark as my knuckles and finger tips turned white. I waited as their voices died away, then their heavy, branch-crunching footfalls disappeared as well. Eventually the birds started to sing and the squirrels began their noisy rustling.

Steeling myself with bravery I climbed back down and looked around, carefully assessing the area, walking stick before me in both hands.

All seemed safe.

I carefully began my trek again, more weary now than before. Every branch crunch and rustle of the trees ahead could be a possible enemy, now that I knew orcs lived in these woods. Not a surprise to find them here though, I supposed. Orcs were everywhere now days.

Through the every darkening canopy I could tell that noon had passed and I stopped for a short break.

I brought out some nuts and berries I had salvaged from the beginning of the forest. Squatting down beside a tree I wearily picked at them one at a time to make them last longer. I had some cooked squirrel meat that I could eat later.

Maybe I could find a rabbit later as well, after I had some time to fix myself a bow, mine had broken several weeks ago and all I had was the string.

After eating I took a few swigs of my water then swatted a few mosquitoes before crouching down and relieving myself. That was the only regret there was about not wearing a skirt, skirts were easier to relieve oneself in, pants like mine were a hassle. Straightening up I tightened my belt and gathered my things.

After walking for a few more hours and wondering if I had taken a wrong turn, I suddenly came upon a parting of trees as a large hill rose before me, lit in the bright orange light of the late day. I stepped over a mound of growing vines over rotting wood and surveyed the hill, a few good stone buildings standing on it. Amon Obel.

I smiled, "Finally."

Walking up the hill I noticed several different herbs I knew well, I stopped to pick them, as well as some kingsfoil, mullein, basil and white flowers that would make for good tea that might help me sleep better.

Bees buzzed drowsily around the hillside as the blue sky stretched in a circle around the ring of trees surrounding the large hill. I climbed further up and studied the buildings before me, the largest was a dome shaped one in the center. It's large, wooden door was rotted and half of it had caved in, I poked my head inside and surveyed the dark interior. It was cold, hollow and dank smelling.

Nothing a fire couldn't fix.

I climbed inside, my footsteps echoing against the bare walls. A pigeon flapped noisily above me as I raised my stick in surprise, rolling my eyes when I realized what it had been.

There had been floors about me but they must have been wood as well as the ceiling stretched up at least three levels and rotting wood covered in moss and creeping vines lined the floor, looking like a miniature garden inside the building. I walked over to a large stone basin that still smelled of oil. I gathered some of the rotted wood not yet fully eaten by moss and dumped it into the basin. Taking out my flint and steel I got a few sparks going. Oil must have soaked into the stone as it didn't take me the usual agonizing amount of time to light a fire with questionable wood.

I spread my things out on the stone floor that still shone through the debris and started heating water as the wind whistled through the broken windows on higher levels and pigeons watched me with questioning warbles.

I dumped some herbs into the water, my squirrel, several hazelnuts and some more vegetables I had collected along the way. Once done I emptied the contents into my new bowl and heated up another bunch of water with the flowers in it.

I sat down, keeping my back to the wall and my front facing the door. The crackling fire and gently bubbling water was soothing to listen to as my stiff muscles waited for an attack while I ate, the light slowly fading from the sky.

The herbs I had tossed in didn't exactly help it go down better, not a recipe I would try again. I gulped the hot liquids and mushy greens and meat, looking around for a second exit in case the first became blocked by an enemy. The fire was covered by the building and there would be no reason to expect an attack, those orcs had even gone in a different direction, not having come from or gone to this area.

Still the fact that they existed so nearby was troubling and my body would definitely be needing this tea to sleep tonight.

The fire began to glow brighter and cast longer shadows as I sipped the tea in my second bowl, washing the soup's flavoring from my mouth. This place was good for herbs, I could normally camp out and dry a bunch to take with me, but with orcs prowling the Brethil I wasn't going to stay here without a more secure dwelling. Amon Obel had fallen once, it was a known location, even more so than Gondolin.

I took a mullein leaf I had picked and kicked off my boots, sticking the leaf in with my socks. The juice was good for relieving foot pain I had been told. Maybe I needed to walk around with it though? I was done walking for the day, this would just have to do.

Finishing my tea I buried myself in my sleeping roll, yawning as I felt the solid stone ground beneath me. It was so much more comfortable than a tree limb.

Laying down I began to say my prayers for the night but didn't make it far before I drifted off to sleep to the sound of slowly crackling fire in the stone basin and the fluttering of wings above me.

* * *

* _I have a feeling that there is going to soon be a coming together here, don't you?_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Clatter.**_

 _ **Clangk.**_

 ** _Crash_!**

I opened my eyes wide, staring into the complete darkness. The fire was out, how long had I been asleep?

 ** _Crash!_**

 ** _Clatter_**.

A low rumble of voices was growing louder and louder, the words either not Common Speech or too gruff to make out. My breathing and heartrate rose, my body freezing in the bedroll.

I kicked my way out of the bedroll as quietly and quickly as I could, heart pounding in my chest. Hands shaking I groped in the dark for my boots, sliding them on as my entire body started to shiver, the voices growing loud enough to make out speech I clearly couldn't understand. The speech that I had heard earlier.

 _Orcs!_

My brain screamed ' _Run!Run!_ ' but I dared not make a sound.

Heavy, clashing footsteps tromped just outside the walls of the building.

Sliding my boots on I took out the knife and my thick walking stick, screaming internally at myself for not having repaired my bow earlier. Crouching I slid, trembling against the wall. There were enough rotted mounds of upper level floors on the ground for me to get a little cover if I hugged the wall just right. If those things came in here with a light though….

They were still outside beyond the wall, grumbling and making heavy metal crashes.

I didn't dare move now, listening in the dark. The pigeons above had stopped making noise, they must have been listening to the commotion as well. Not that they had reason to be scared, they had wings. I felt the cold ground beneath me leech heat from the bottom of my feet, how was I supposed to get out of here? This was a stupid idea. I should have left the moment I realized there weren't any second exits. I should have slept in a tree again, away from Amon Obel. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

There were some grunts and the metal clanging quieted. The gruff voices spoke up now though, it was definitely not Common Speech, but a few words trickled in that I could pick up on as I listened hard, barely daring to breath,

 **"…forest…"**

 **"…fire…"**

 **"…meat…"**

"…(a particularly vulgar curse)…"

 **"…stink…"**

 **"…black…"**

 **"…poison…"**

I swallowed, a rising mass in my throat was starting to choke me. Maybe if I waited they'd go? Or maybe I could slip away before they decided to look around, it was dark out, Orcs were black creatures but they couldn't see in the dark could they?

I shut my eyes tight, gritted my teeth and willed myself to move. Very, very carefully I reached for my things and started to pack my unwashed dishes, stuff up my bedroll and stand shakily, slipping my things onto my back with slow, deliberate movements. I made the ancient sign on my forehead, chest and shoulders, I would need Divine Intercession on this one.

Carefully I placed the tip of my boot down on the ground, then the other before it. The mossy wood hadn't really been a hindrance before, now it was like a maze in the dark. I edged forward an inch at a time, gingerly touching ground with the tips of my boots before planting my foot solidly on the ground, balancing myself with my stick.

The talking was continuing outside, I caught a few more words over the sound of my beating heart,

 **"…filthy…"**

 **"…I…"**

 **"…goat…"**

 **"…screams…"**

My toe reached a creaking bit of wood and I quickly moved it elsewhere, leaning back on my walking stick. Suddenly the stick sunk into the mossy, rotting wood and I tipped, off balance. The glass water jars on my back were too heavy still and desperately I tried to reach out but crashed back first into a mound of rotted wood, the clatter and crash echoing loudly off the bare walls.

I didn't breath, eyes wide in horror as I lay on the ground feeling my belongings pressing through the pack into my back.

The talking outside had stopped. Suddenly a gruff, short string of words was spoken and I heard clattering and heavy footfalls coming nearer.

 _I'm going to die._

Scrambling I got up, back aching. I yanked my walking stick out of the wood and hurried to the wall, hugging it closely.

I had only one chance: hope they didn't have a light and stick close to the wall beside the door, if they walked into the room I might be able to slip out unseen.

I crept against the wall, edging closer and closer to the doorway as the footfalls got louder.

It sounded like one, heavy creature. I could hear its thick, heavy breathing come closer and I shuddered as it approached the broken door.

A dark mass peered in through the broken door and I slammed myself against the wall. Its head turned in the darkness, too black in shadow for its features to be clearly seen, then it drew itself back out. A grunt. A pause.

Erupting in a shower of splinters the door was kicked back, widening the hole I had come in from. The noise rocketed off the walls, like a cannon. The pigeons above, terrified, flew out the upper windows in race of noisy wings.

A few more kicks splintered the door more, moonlight pouring into the room. Another pause.

Suddenly the dark black shape, large and smelling of strongly of rot, stepped in through the opening.

It stood still, not moving in towards the back of the room.

My heart faltered, why wasn't it moving? It needed to get away from the door if my plan would work. Maybe if it heard a noise it would move in further, I reached down to my pockets, maybe I had something small I could throw? **My elbow cracked.**

I froze.

It quickly jerked its head to me, dark lip curling back in a snarl illuminated by the dim light of the moon coming through his widened opening in the door. I stared wide eyed, frozen as it lifted a hand….

A silver gleam flickered in the moonlight and the raising hand faltered. The creature gurgled. It looked at me, took a step, then fell to the ground in a heavy thud, its noisy armor clattering against the stone. I gaped.

Dark voices spoke again and I froze as the voices turned to shouts.

I glanced again at the unmoving figure. It was dead, surely.

I hurried around it, shakingly gripping the splintered wood of the door I looked out onto the moonlit hilltop. Noises, clattering and clashing and shouting were happening unseen on the other side of the building. I quickly and quietly made for it. The flicker of a fire glowing just out of sight.

Who or what could kill orcs in the night?


	6. Chapter 6

Thranduil hid himself behind the crumpled ruin of what was once a building, watching as several orcs sat conversing around a fire in the middle of the fallen city. A small skinny one was being shouted at and it constantly rose its black dagger, threateningly challenging the others. Thranduil didn't care much about their conversation, though he knew some of the orcish and black speech they used. One was now boasting of killing some goat herder at the moment.

Thranduil watched their movements. He wouldn't be able to sneak up on them now, the moon was too bright and with all four sitting at opposite ends all blind spots were covered. Thranduil pondered the buildings closer to the fire, perhaps if he could get behind one unseen he would be fast enough to come down upon them before they had a chance to even get up. It certainly would be worth the effort.

He moved towards the next building when a sudden crash echoed in the large, central building. He paused, looking at it with curious light eyes. What was that?

The Orcs stopped talking as well, looking up at the building.

"…Go see what that was!"

"Don't touch my meat or I'll fill my hunger with your flesh when I get back." A fat orc cursed, getting up from the fire and tromping heavily to the doorway of the large building.

Thranduil watched, eyes lighting up.

How perfect was this?

Silently Thranduil crept around, following the orc to the front of the building.

The monstrous creature stuck its thick neck in through the door and Thranduil moved closer, face intently watching his victim. The Orc thrust his head out of the doorway, took a step back, then kicked open the door with its foot, large planks falling away at the thunderous impact. It kicked the door again and again as Thranduil crept ever closer, the Orc not noticing his presence as it stepped into the darkened building.

As it took a step in, Thranduil came at it in a crouching run, his feet silent over the twigs and plants. The Orc turned its head and lifted a hand in the doorway just as Thranduil's blade reached him, slicing in through its neck, then with a thrust, back out again. He smirked as the ugly orc teetered for a moment then fell to the ground, having not even seen him.

Ha!

Now only three left. This, he thought with unbridled glee, could be done swiftly.

Treading lightly over the ground in a run, he saw the first Orc standing and immediately threw one of his fighting knives at the throat, with a spluttering, sucking sound he knew it had found its mark, though he did not have time to look as he brought his sword down in a run at the second Orc. There was shouting and the second Orc gurgled a curse through a mouthful of blood, Thranduil's blade through its chest.

Catching a flicker of shadow in the corner of his sight, Thranduil spun away (leaving his weapon in the chest of the second) as the third Orc came up from behind him, swinging down a brutish flat sword. His light hair barely breezed in the movement. Gracefully he pulled out his second fighting knife, the length being almost as long as his forearm.

In a fighting crouch he eyed the third Orc while the second, who had still been standing, finally fell with a clatter of armor to the ground, Thranduil's sword still in his chest.

Thranduil's mouth twitched as his eyes glittered in a hidden, excited smile. This was what he had been hoping to encounter on this trip to the Grey Havens, why his father was not as keen, he could not guess.

The third Orc, having regained it's footing after the missed swing, came charging at him, sword raised. Thranduil's lips twitched and with a deft twist of his ankles he leapt to the side in a tumble, his knife going up at the same time as he passed the charging Orc. Having passed the Orc, he stopped his roll on one knee and paused a moment, red knife at his side. The third Orc stood a moment, then in a clatter fell to the ground, it's stomach and other organs spilling from a split belly. Thranduil stood, taking up his sword from out of the chest of the other orc and turned again to face the still kneeling, disemboweled orc. In a single swipe of his sword, the Orc's dark head rolled over the quivering green growth beneath. Thranduil raised an eyebrow, smugly surveying the damage done.

 _Snap_

A twig cracked directly behind Thranduil and he turned, instantly feeling a stabbing pain in his leg. His eyes took in the first orc, the glowing elven knife still lodged in his throat as he lay on the ground, his own black dagger plunged by a raised hand in Thranduil's lower leg. It gurgled through its throat, but through the teeth the Orc made a hissing sound that almost sounded like laughter with each wet exhale. Thranduil turned his sword in anger and stabbed the prostrate Orc through its back, the sword slicing through its bones into the ground below. With a sharp, gurgled breath it crumpled, hand falling off the black dagger.

Thranduil grabbed the hilt of the dagger and yanked it quickly out of his leg with a grimace, searing pain radiated not only from the motion at the site, but throughout the leg. Thranduil held the dagger up to his eyes, anger fading as worry was starting to cross his brow. Suddenly his eyes widened as he stared at the dark dagger in his hand, already the blade was falling apart in grains. In a moment it dissolved, as if made of black dust.

This was no ordinary blade.

Thranduil felt a chill sweep through his body, an unnatural chill.

Grimacing as pain radiated more fully throughout his leg he began to limp towards the fire, but in a few movements he let out a shout as his leg gave out. His face twisted in anger and pain as he fell upon the ground.

"You're injured." A soft voice in common speech said.

Thranduil's head jerked up, noticing a figure coming towards him slowly. Thranduil shuddered as another wave of chill spread throughout his body, he clenched his teeth as his grip on his sword tightened. The figure approached, from its neck a bright light glowed brighter as it approached. Thranduil's grip on his dagger relaxed, his gaze scrutinizing the figure before him.

The being knelt a few feet away, pausing cautiously out of reach, "You killed the Orcs. Thank you."

Thranduil's eyes had trouble adjusting, his vision fading in and out now in the dark as the cold swept over him yet again. But the glowing object remained bright and from it he could make out a face. Not elvish, not human…yet close to both. Green eyes flickered briefly in his sight and Thranduil saw no malice in them. With eyesight fading he could tell from the tone this was a female.

"Quickly. I…have been stabbed…with a poisoned blade." Thranduil said, teeth clenching in pain.

The figure quickly looked down at his leg, "What is it that you need?"

"Athelas. To draw it out, quickly!" He cried out, face turning pale.

"Athelas? I do not know what that is. I…have something else." The figure rummaged for a moment before drawing a bright shinning light, brighter than a star, into view. Its scintillating rays lit the entire area and cleared much of the fog in Thranduil's vision away. He stared, spell bound, by the beautiful light. Valar entered his mind immediately, could this be…one of them, returned to middle earth?

The woman, whose face lit up in the light, stared at it with a seriousness and carefully held it out over his leg. With her other hand she outlined the wound and carefully tipped the light so it poured out into Thranduil's wound.

A coolness, like water, poured down into his wound. Covering the wound with one hand she hid the light inside her coat and darkness returned. Making some sign over him she began to mutter a strange string of words and as Thranduil's head tipped forward weakly he thought it sounded like she was talking to someone over them. He felt the cold being replaced with his body's warmth, then it went dark and Thranduil heard and thought no more.

* * *

 _Sorry, this story is coming along more slowly than I anticipated. I hope, however, that I didn't make you wait too long. Enjoy!_


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